The UAE will send urgent aid as well as search and rescue teams to Libya amid deadly floods that may have killed up to 2,000 people in the east of the country, President Sheikh Mohamed has confirmed.
The assistance will support Libya's efforts to mitigate the damage caused by flooding from Storm Daniel, according to a readout from Wam news agency.
“His Highness expressed his sincere condolences and sympathy to the State of Libya, its people and the families of the victims of this tragedy, wishing a speedy recovery for all the injured,” it said.
As many as 2,000 people are feared dead after Storm Daniel caused devastating floods that swept away entire neighbourhoods and wrecked homes in a number of coastal towns, Prime Minister Ossama Hamad, head of Libya's Tripoli-based government, said on Monday.
At least 150 people have been confirmed dead, according to the Libyan Red Crescent, which expects the death toll to rise to 250.
The reason for wildly differing estimates is unknown.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, sent condolences to Libya on Monday.
“May God protect Libya and its people from all harm … and maintain their security and safety,” he wrote on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.
“The UAE will remain beside its brothers at all times.”
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, also sent his condolences.
“Our sincere condolences to our people in Libya for the victims of the hurricane and catastrophic floods, and we ask God for a speedy recovery for those injured,” he wrote on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.
“May God protect Libya and its people from all harm.”
The floods deal a heavy blow to a country already mired by long-term conflict which has seen it divided under two ruling powers.
“I was able to flee with my family this morning,” Saleh Al Obaidi, a resident of the eastern city of Derna, told Reuters. He added that houses near a valley in the city had collapsed.
“People were asleep and woke up and found their homes surrounded by water.”
Entire residential blocks were erased along Wadi Derna, a river that runs down from the mountains through the city centre, AP reported.
Multi-storey apartment buildings partially collapsed into the mud, while local media reported power cuts across the city.
Essam Abu Zeriba, the interior minister of the east Libya government, said more than 5,000 people were thought to be missing in Derna. He said many of the victims were swept away towards the Mediterranean.
Destruction was also reported in Benghazi, Sousse and Al Bayda, where deaths have also been recorded.
A spokesman from the Libyan Presidential Council announced a three-day mourning period on Monday afternoon.
The UAE Foreign Ministry has also sent its condolences to Libya, while Qatar and Tunisia will also provide aid to flood-ravaged areas.
Storm Daniel wreaked havoc in Greece, where experts described the storm as a “once-in-a-millennium phenomenon”.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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